From The Flames
by Zigzag92
Summary: Kaya, a sixteen year old runaway from the Fire Nation, must seek a new life in the Earth Kingdom. But what happens to that new life when she runs into Prince Zuko? ZukoxOC Chapter eight finished.
1. Chapter 1: Freedom

**Chapter One: Freedom**

Kaya folded the last of her clothes and placed them neatly into her knapsack. She sighed softly and looked around at her bedroom for the very last time. She never did like it that much. The red glow always reminded her of the treacherous war that was taking place. The bed was too hard, like a giant brick, and the four walls surrounding her always seemed to be closing in on her every day, but never suceeded in crushing her along with her hope and spirit. But despite all this, it was a place where she could just be alone.

Kaya looked out the window. The sun was peeking over the hills, colouring them with tropical hues. She had to leave before the sun rose. Luckily, it was she who usually woke up her father, so unless the rays of the sun were dancing in his room through the window, he wouldn't wake up. She slipped her shoes on, threw her knapsack onto her shoulder, and slid her door open silently. She tiptoed to the front door and smiled as she closed it behind her and jumped off the porch into the dew stricken grass. She looked at that house of nightmares one more time, and then, without warning or much realization of what she was doing, she started running. She ran as fast as she possibly could. Down the hills and up them again, feeling the winds rushing through her long black hair. It felt like freedom.

Soon, the village square came into view. Early shoppers were bunching around fruit stalls and medicine booths. Kaya walked into the square with a broad smile on her face and waved good morning to familiar faces. It wasn't too long before she was greeted by one of the food merchants.

"Kaya! Good morning!" Hiro called out to her.

"Good morning, Hiro!" she said walking towards his stand.

"The usual I presume," he said gathering up her regular order.

"Actually, I'll be taking a lot more than the usual," Kaya replied.

She walked away from that stand a few minutes later with a sack heavy with supplies. Bewildered salesmen she had purchased her things from looked after her as she walked towards the docks. She had an enormous ammount of money with her and she was not on her traditional errand. Something was wrong.

Kaya walked by the many sailors, captains, and admirals of the sea and without much attention drawn to her. She felt invisible among them, but this was not a concern of hers. She found a small boat that would be perfect for her journey. She bought it, and was soon unfurling the mast. It wasn't until she was on the sea when she realized that the red Fire Nation flag was still there. She smirked, and that glow in her ember eyes shone as she took down the flag, balled it up, and set it fire. She threw it into the water with triumph. It was in the past now, and she wanted it to stay that way.

She felt at this point that she hated the fire nation. This war was only out of greed, to show that they were better than everyone else, and that they could conquer the world any time they wanted. It was a child's fight. Kaya frowned at the thought. Her father didn't support her cause. In fact, he was against everything she said. She remembered all the nights of physical abuse she went through every time she protested to her father's opinions.

_"Do not question the authority that is the Fire Nation!" _BAM! A punch to the face. How many sleepless and bloody nights she had been through! Then she would cry in her room wishing that her mother was there. But that wouldn't have made much of a difference. The only reason her mother was dead was because her own father had killed her. Kaya remembered the horrible face her father had given her as she saw own her mother lying motionless on the ground. _"Not a word of this to anyone!"_ BAM!

They had merely told her brother, who was in the Fire Nation army, that she had comitted suicide. Not like her brother cared. He was a living puppet of his father. It pained Kaya every day to know what kind of family she was stuck with. That's why she began to learn firebending, to make sure that no one else could hurt her. Now she was an expert, and the only one who hurt her was her tyrant of a father.

Finally, when she had turn sixteen, she had it all planned out: She was going to run away to the Earth Kingdom where she could begin living her own life her own way. Maybe even find a groom that wouldn't be as terrible as her father was. She knew her father would not be happy when he found out she had left. After all, she was always the one who would fix him meals and to tend to his every need while he gambled aimlessly with other drunks. But she also knew he would never leave the Fire Nation. Thinking about all the freedom Kaya was entitled to now made her smile with happiness.

Freedom. It sounded so wonderful.


	2. Chapter 2: Kaihen

**Chapter Two: Kaihen**

Kaya jumped onto the deck of the dock, tied up her boat, and payed the fair. It seemed a tad busier in the Earth Kingdom town than it was in her hometown. First things first; she needed to know what part of the Kingdom she was in. An old man in forest green attire passed by. She tapped his shoulder.

"Excuse me, sir," she said politely.

He turned around and smiled sweetly. "How may I help you, miss?"

"Would you be kind enough to tell me what town I am in?" she asked.

He nodded. "Why, you are in none other than Kaihen on the very seashore of the Earth Kingdom itself!"

"Do you know where there might be a place where I could stay for the night?"

He nodded and gave her directions to an inn further into the city. The fishing industry seemed to be much more productive in Kaihen. Might as well be since it's on the coast. Fish merchants had built stalls all over the town, even in the dark alleyways. She would have to get used to the slight scent of salmon in the air. At least it was better than inhaling smoke.

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"Uncle, how far to the next town?" Zuko asked impatiently.

Prince Zuko and General Iroh walked along a cobblestone path. Unfortunately, their bird and also their means of transportation, had been stolen a few days ago. They only had a few supplies left since the rest was with their bird. And of course, without plenty of water and food, Zuko was becoming short tempered. . . Well, more short tempered at least.

"Patience, Zuko," Iroh said. "We'll find get to a town soon enough."

Zuko folded his arms and covered his eyes with his hat.

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Kaya was sitting on the roof of the tall inn and looking out at the beach far off.

That was where she would build her new home.

She loved the beaches here. It was so much more calm here and peaceful. It was like a whole new world to her in fact. The sound of the waves crashing softly against the rocks, the gentle breeze flowing through the air. But most of all, the most gorgeous sunset she had ever seen in her life. The sun already beautiful as a fading orange glow in the sky setting into the horizon while the ocean reflects its beauty with the light dazzling in its path. Kaya took in a deep breath of the salt-water-scented air and lied down on the stone roof.

Such a beautiful beginning.

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The next morning, Kaya hired ten men to help her build her a house a bit more than a quarter of a mile away from the beaches. She spent the whole day cutting down trees and cementing stones. A grueling day of hard work, but every time she felt as if she could not go on, she kept thinking of how nice it would turn out when they were finished.

Around sunset, she was more determined than ever. She began singing a song that her mother taught her while she was still little.

_My child, my child,_

_Such hard days we endure_

_But not without reward_

_Use your spirit, so pure_

_The day shall come_

_When your lucky stars shine_

_Smiling upon your face_

_Knowing that you'll be fine_

Everything will be fine.


	3. Chapter 3: Visitors

**Chapter Three: Visitors**

"You have a very nice house on your hands, Miss Kaya," Kao commented.

Kaya looked at her house from a few yards away. It certainly was a nice house. Not a huge abode, nor a small one. The furniture had already been moved in and they had just finished the painting.

"Two weeks," she said. "Two long weeks and it's finally done." She looked up at Kao. "Thank you for helping."

"But you hired us," Kao said modestly.

Kaya shrugged. "I still consider it an act of kindness."

He smiled. "I have a feeling you're going to be doing just fine here in Kaihen."

She said her thanks, bid him goodbye, and walked into her house. It was so peaceful now that it was finished. She sat on her bed and looked around her. No red glow, no view of the Fire Nation to haunt her window, and it was overall very welcoming. This is exactly how she wanted it. Exactly how she desired it to be. She lyed down and rested her eyes.

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Two days after Kaya settled into her house, General Iroh and Prince Zuko trudged farther through the spacious wood, their stomachs grumbling and their mouths dry.

"This is hopeless, Uncle," Zuko said, clutching his stomach. "We'll never find a town by sundown."

Iroh ignored him. He was starting to grow tired of his constant rants and complaints. He looked ahead and started to see an opening in the forest.

"Hurry up, Zuko," he said, pacing a bit faster. "I see the end."

With much difficulty, Zuko walked more quickly and kept up with his uncle.

As they lifted their legs as if they were bags of sand, a small house came into view. They both sighed in unison at the sight of a sanctuary.

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Kaya was sitting on her windowsill, watching the waves blanket the shore repeatedly. She closed her eyes and took in the moment. Suddenly, there was a knock at the door. Visitors? Already?

She jumped down and paced to the door, wondering who it could be. When she opened the door, however, all her guesses were dead wrong.

Two men were standing at the door. One was an elderly, tubby man, with a pleasant smile on his face. The other seemed to be about her age and was only an inch or two taller though. He had a severe scar on his left eye, ash black hair, and eyes that glowed like ember flames much like hers.

"Can I help you?" she said politely.

"Yes, miss," the old man began. "We are refugees searching for a place to stay. Do you mind having guests?"

Kaya found it a bit awkward having strangers in her house, but she eventually concluded that they seemed trustworthy enough.

"Sure, come in," she said, letting them inside.

"Oh, a very nice home you have here," the old man said, looking around. "Surely a young lady such as yourself does not live here all alone."

Kaya closed the door behind them. "Actually, I do," she said. "The guest beds are in the room at the end of the hall by the way."

"Thank you," the elderly man responded making his way down the hall. The boy, however, stayed behind leaning against the wall. She looked at him suspiciously.

"Would you like some food?" she asked politely. "I just bought some fruit from the market."

He hesitated, so used to refusing meals while he was this moody, but as his stomach argued, he nodded silently. She went into the kitchen and began to cut up some mangos. The old man must've heard, for he was at the table sitting next to his companion so fast, Kaya hardly heard him come. She smiled and placed the plate on the table. They tried not to scarf their food rudely, but they were so hungry, they couldn't resist. The plate was spotless in only five minutes.

Kaya laughed. "That was fast," she said, picking the plate back up.

"Might we know your name, miss?" the old man said.

She smiled. "Kaya. My name is Kaya."

He grinned as well. "That is a lovely name for such a lovely young lady," he said.

"Thank you, sir," she said. "I'll be outside. And if you don't mind, I wouldn't like to be disturbed."

"No problem," the round old man said.

And with that, she left, closing the door behind her.

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"What do you think she is doing, Uncle?" Zuko asked, an hour after Kaya had left them alone.

Iroh shrugged. "I'm not sure. But try not to interrupt."

But his curiousity was already pressuring him to find out. He walked out of the guest room and walked into the kitchen to look out of the window, wanting to see what she was up to. She was standing her ground, her amber eyes shining, while holding her fist in front of her. She breathed in deeply and then did a great number of firebending moves almost flawlessly. His eyes widened, and she finally stopped to stand and breathe in steadily again. He could not take it any longer. He ran out of the house and went to her, an eagerness to know if what he saw was true.

"You're a firebender?" he exclaimed.

She jumped as the boy walked up to her. She was caught.

"Please don't tell anyone," she pleaded to him. "If anyone in the city knows, they'll run me out for sure."

"So, you're from the Fire Nation," he concluded.

"Yes, but don't tell!" she begged. "I don't want to go back!"

He felt a bit offended. "Why not?" he questioned.

She sighed and looked down. "It's a very long story. You wouldn't care."

"But I'm from the Fire Nation, too," he explained.

She looked up. "You are?"

He nodded. "Why don't you want to live there anymore?"

"You sure you want to know?"

"Yes."

She sighed again and told him everything. Her mother being killed by her father, having to do hard labor for him, always been shoved around and being treated like dirt. . . Then she told him about her run away. How she didn't plan on going back ever again.

"Why don't you try earning respect from your father?" he asked when she was done.

She looked at him strangely. "Are you crazy? I am not going to prove anything to him."

"And why not?" he asked, frowning.

"Why would I want to prove myself worthy to someone who already has proved himself a murder, a tyrant, and a drunk?"

Zuko could not think of any comebacks. She was right. People like that don't deserve respect of any kind. So why was he still so determined to find the Avatar?

"Who are you?"

Zuko looked up. "What?"

"I've told you my entire past. The least you can do is tell me something about yourself. Like how you got that scar for example."

Zuko ran his fingers slowly against the left side of his face, feeling every fold of his scar. He did owe her something. But should he really tell her this? It was better than telling her his name. If he did, he and his uncle would be reported to the authorities for sure.

He hesitated, but then said slowly. "I stood up for the life of a fellow Fire Nation citizen. My father did not approve at all and challenged me to Agni Kai. I did not know I was going to be battling him at first. If I had, I would've never accepted. I begged for mercy, but he still attacked and purposely shot at my left eye, giving me this scar."

"I'm sorry to hear that," Kaya said truthfully. "Why are you not in the Fire Nation now?"

"My father banished me. The only way to go back now is to earn his respect. But my older sister is doing her best to make sure that never happens."

Kaya looked at him thoughtfully. "Our problems are not that different. But we chose different paths. May I offer you a piece of advice?"

He thought it over, and nodded slowly.

"Think about the things that really matter in life. Glory and respect have their limitations. But happiness and freedom holds no boundaries."

He rolled his eyes. "You're starting to sound like Uncle."

Kaya giggled softly. "Just keep it in mind."

There was a knock on the front door to Kaya's house. She ran inside and answered it, while Zuko went into the guest bedroom with Iroh, in case it was someone looking for them.

There was no one at the door when Kaya opened it. Instead, there was a scroll on the doorstep. She picked it up and read it. It was a list of wanted criminals to be turned into the Fire Nation, with a picture next to each name. She scanned down. . . The Avatar. . . The Blue Spirit. . .

Kaya's eyes widened.

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Kaya walked slowly into the guest bedroom, gripping the scroll firmly in her hand. Iroh and Zuko looked at her, confused.

"What seems to be the problem, Kaya?" Iroh asked.

"I just recieved a newsletter full of wanted criminals, General Iroh and Prince Zuko."

The two were taken aback and stepped away from her slowly.

"Are you going to turn us in?" Zuko asked.

Kaya paused, looking at them intently. She sighed and shook her head. The two were even more surprised.

"Why?" Zuko said.

She took in a shaky breath. "I'm not going to judge you by what's written on this scroll, but by what you've told me today, Zuko." She sat on one of the beds and looked up at him. "You're not cruel or evil like so many people tend to say. You're misunderstood, and I won't turn you in for false crimes."

Zuko stared at her for the longest time. This girl knew who he was and knew he was a wanted man, yet refused to turn him in. She understood him, and, in a way, he understood her. He was lost for words.

"Thank you," he finally said, though he knew thank you was not enough.

She looked up at both of them and said softly, "You two may stay as long as you please, but you must be careful. Kaihen is one of the busiest places in the Earth Kingdom."

"We'll do our best," Iroh said, bowing his head.


	4. Chapter 4: The Blue Spirit & the Burning

**Chapter Four: The Blue Spirit and the Burning House**

Kaya sat in the damp sand while the tiny waves tickled her bare feet softly. It was around midnight, and the town was asleep. The beach was clear and she was alone; by herself to enjoy the stars which were entertaining her by dancing across the inky black sky. Her eyes sparkled with joy, seeing that everything was all worth it.

She heard someone's footsteps walking towards her down the grassy knoll. She stood up immediately, ready to fight. But she rested her arms when she saw who it was.

"Oh, hi, Zuko," she said, sitting back down in the sand. "You scared me."

He didn't answer, but he sat down next to her and searched his mind for the right words to say.

"Thank you very much for what you're doing for us," he said. "I remember when I was staying in this one town and I defended a boy and his family from harm. But I told them who I was and made me leave anyway." He hung his head. "They all hate me. They all think I'm some kind of monster."

Kaya placed her hand on his lightly. "Then they haven't seen the side of you that I have."

For the first time in what seemed like ages, Zuko smiled. Not a forced smile or a small grin, but a real genuine smile. But all the while he was telling himself, I've never opened up to anyone like this. What's wrong with me?

"Come on, we better go to bed," she suggested, standing up and leading the way to the house through the back door.

Zuko walked into the guest bedroom silently, being careful not to wake up Iroh. But as he sat down on his bed, he heard someone knock on the door. It was opened by Kaya. He listened intently.

"Are you Kaya, daughter of Gatu and Hayashi?" a cold voice asked.

"I am," she said hesitantly.

"By order of Admiral Haku, you are hereby put under arrest."

Zuko's eyes widened and he strained his ears to listen harder.

"My brother wants me arrested? Under what charges?"

"For leaving the Fire Nation without permission from a guardian."

"You can't arrest me for this! I'm in the Earth Kingdom now!"

"Sorry, ma'am, but you're coming with us."

Zuko heard her struggle and jumped to get up and help her, but realized that he was wanted by the Fire Nation too. He would expose himself and Iroh. But he had to save Kaya.

Without thinking much, he rushed to his bag and pulled out two swords and a blue and white mask.

It was time for the Blue Spirit to come to the rescue.

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The Blue Spirit stood stiffly atop the roof of the cart in which they were transporting Kaya. It rolled down to a dark steel boat parked in the dock. When they stopped, he climbed down swiftly and stood behind the cart, back pressed against the wet wood. Two Fire Nation officers walked out with Kaya in front of them, still trying to free herself from their grip. The driver climbed down and joined them, shoving the girl onto the ship and down into the brigs. As soon as the engines started to steam, the Blue Spirit hopped into a small lifeboat and started to row alongside the boat. It was difficult work rowing near side an engine powered Fire Nation ship and his arms were growing tired. But after many attempts, he tied the boat securely to a hook on the side of it. He climbed up it stealthily and jumped onto the deck, careful not to make a sound in the process. The three officers were in the galley judging by the noise being made from underneath him. He took out his swords just in case and ran below deck, trying to find the brigs.

Kaya was sitting down and leaning against the hard cement wall the whole time. She was stuck in a cage again. It was like nothing had changed since she escaped from her previous prison miles away. She hugged her legs and pressed her face against her knees. Everything was going so well. How did her brother find out where she was? Why was her family so determined to make her life miserable? Just because she rejected the ways of the Fire Lord? She scoffed. That was typical Gatu and Haku for you. She looked around her. Escaping from this cage would be a piece of cake, but then where would she go? She would still be stuck in the middle of the ocean with the three Fire Nation officers. She sighed and bit her lip. Don't cry, she thought to herself. You've made it this far without giving up on your hopes and spirit. You can't lose them now.

She heard footsteps coming from the small staircase at the end of the corridor. Probably one of the scumbags come to torment me, she thought. But it wasn't.

It was the Blue Spirit himself.

Her hope rose once more as he ran to the bars of her cage. She did the same, waiting for his plan. First he tapped on the bars, asking if she could get out. She nodded and gripped the bars firmly. The bars turned a bright red, and then melted beneath her fingers slowly. She fanned her hands and slipped through the gap. The Blue Spirit led the way back up the deck and towards the edge of the boat where he showed her where he had roped the longboat. She hesitated, but finally agreed to climb down first. She grabbed the rope tightly and inched down carefully. It took a few minutes, but she was safely inside the boat soon enough. Her savior did the same, but more speedily and easily. Once they were both in the boat, he took one of his swords and cut the rope, releasing them from the Fire Nation ship.

They both watched the soldiers sail away, unaware that their prisoner had escaped. Kaya said nothing until she was sure that it had disappeared into the horizon. She sighed and looked at the mysterious, masked fugitive with admiration.

"Thank you so much," she said gratefully.

He said nothing, but he nodded his head.

"Why did you do it though?" she asked.

He was silent for a minute, but after a while, he did his best to disguise voice and said, "Because you didn't deserve to be arrested."

Kaya looked at him suspiciously. "And how would you know that?"

He shouldn't have said that. He sifted through his mind for an excuse, but nothing sounded reasonable enough.

"Who are you?" Kaya asked him for the second time.

He looked up at her. She wasn't going to get off his back about it from the looks of it. He argued against himself not to do it, but after one last look into her glowing amber eyes, he slowly began to take off his mask, and finally revealed the face of Prince Zuko.

Kaya was dumbfounded. "Zuko?"

He nodded solemnly and looked down at his gloved hands. "I had to rescue you, but I couldn't do it as Prince Zuko, or else I'd expose not only myself, but also my uncle."

Kaya looked at him, her insides aflutter. Never had she met such a dedicated or determined young man. She embraced him suddenly, with much gratitude and thanks. He didn't know what to do after a while, but hug back. She let go after a half a minute and sat back down in the boat.

"Thank you, Zuko," she said.

He put his mask on to hide the pink shade that had spread across his face. "It's no trouble."

Sure it wasn't, Kaya thought sarcastically. She looked behind him, seeing the shore starting to approach. Ten minutes or so and they would be back.

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As soon as Kaya opened the door Zuko took off the mask and said immediately, "Go pack your things while I go wake Uncle."

Kaya was confused. "What?"

Zuko stopped in his tracks and looked at her seriously. "They're going to come back, Kaya. They'll find out that you escaped and they'll come back for you."

She didn't move. "But I can't just leave! I just settled in two weeks ago! This was supposed to be my home."

He softened his gaze and said sympathetically, "I'm sorry, but you can't just stay here to be arrested again."

Kaya felt her eyes finally begin to swell up with tears. Lost for words and excuses, she turned away from him and ran to her room. She took out the knapsack she had used before and started to fold her clothes, which were soon sprinkled with her tears. She sobbed as she gathered some food and threw the bag over her shoulder.

Iroh woke up with difficulty, muttering and complaining about not having tea before they left. He walked into the kitchen to gather up some food as well and found Kaya sitting on the floor with her back to the wall. Her face was hidden behind her hands and her hands were leaking waterworks. His heart softened by the pitiful sight, he crouched down next to her and rubbed her back soothingly.

"Kaya, what is the matter?" he asked gently.

She removed her hands from her face and combed her hair away from her face, not looking at Iroh. "I was only here for two weeks and already I have to flee."

Iroh frowned and sighed. He picked her chin up in his finger. "Listen to me, young lady," He looked straight into her eyes. "I know things are not going as you planned and it must be terrible for you to leave so soon. But sometimes, you must try to move along as best as you can, no matter how heavy the burden. And no matter what, do not give up hope."

Kaya was moved by his small speech and forced a tiny smile. "Thank you, Iroh."

She gave him a quick hug and got up off the floor. Zuko came back, from the guest room. "Are we ready to go?"

"Just let me pack some tea and some food," Iroh said, opening a cupboard.

At the worst possible moment, the door opened.

"Sorry for the intrusion, Kaya, but I- "

Kao halted instantly at the sight of the two fugitives. He pointed at them with a shaky finger.

"Y-you two are Iroh and Z-Zuko," he stuttered, backing away out of the doorway.

Kaya walked towards him slowly, holding her hands out in a gesture that asked him to please calm down. "Kao, I can explain. . ."

That was a lie though. She couldn't wriggle her way out of this pickle no matter how hard she would try to explain to Kao who was now beginning to pick up his pace towards the village.

"Kaya! How could you?" he exclaimed, still looking at her. "I'm going to have to turn all three of you in!"

"Kao, no!" Kaya pleaded. But he was already running towards the main square of Kaihen. Kaya clenched her fists and turned to face the other two.

"We have to leave quickly," she said plainly.

Iroh picked up the pace and filled up the remaining space of his bag with fruit and tea bags within two minutes. They were running towards the forest when Kaya stopped in her tracks suddenly. She had forgotten something.

Her music box.

"_Happy birthday, Kaya. Close your eyes."_

_The eager new five-year-old did so while making little jumps up and down out of sheer excitement. Her mother took her hands gently and gave her what felt like a small, cold circular-shaped box. Kaya opened her eyes and looked in awe at the silver box engraved with small flames that curled around the edges. She opened the top of the box slowly and tiny tinkling tune started to play. It was the lullaby that her mother would sing to her every night before kissing her forehead and telling her how much she loved her. Kaya hugged her mother._

"_Thank you, Mother!" she squealed with delight._

_Hayashi laughed softly and picked up the small child in her arms, cradling her like a delicate glass figure._

"_I want you to take good care of it," she whispered into Kaya's ear._

_Kaya nodded obediently. "I will!" she exclaimed. "I will. . . "_

"My music box," she muttered to herself. Zuko looked at her over his shoulder.

"What?"

She turned around quickly. "I forgot something. I have to go back." She was ready to take off when Zuko's hand took her wrist before she could take another step.

"It's too dangerous," he said. "You'll just have to leave it."

She didn't listen to him. She shook her hand from his grasp and ran down the hill back towards her house.

She smelt smoke in the air. Her eyes widened and she ran faster. She heard crackling that reached her ears like small fireworks. She ran faster. She felt a rising heat that singed her soul as she got closer. And finally, she saw the flames rising high and the house burning to a crisp.

Three Fire Nation soldiers were burning it to the ground. The embers grew fiercer as she watched longer. She could not move an inch more. But her rage burned inside her and threw daggers at each of the soldiers.

The sun was starting to rise and was revealing itself above the surface of the water. You would've looked at that horizon and thought that it was another peaceful day. You wouldn't have thought that there was a perfectly good house being burned to ashes at that very moment. You wouldn't have thought that a young girl was running into the forest with tears rushing to her eyes. You wouldn't have thought that she had just lost what she had left to remember of her mother. You wouldn't have thought of any of it. It was just another day.

But not in the sobbing eyes of Kaya.

Zuko and Iroh were searching the entrance of the forest for their new companion. They had stopped a quarter of the way of their trudge in the wood to wait for her, but she didn't show up. They called her name and looked behind trees until finally, they heard someone entering the forest with them. Kaya was walking towards them with her head hung in sadness. Her tears dropped to the ground with each step and her hands were gripping the straps of her knapsack so hard that her knuckles were white. She walked past them without a word. They watched her go further for a few seconds before catching up with her and trying to comfort her.

Zuko patted her back and tried his best to soothe her. But this was difficult for someone who had not done such a thing in a long time. He searched his mind for the right words, but nothing seemed right. He finally said to her gently, "It's going to be okay, Kaya."

She looked at him with bright, watery eyes. "How is it okay, Zuko? I've gone from the flames and straight into the volcano."

He thought for a second and said, "You're not alone in that volcano pit."

Kaya stared at him for a little while and, for the second time, she hugged him, but with more gratefulness than before. It was so nice knowing that someone in the world cared about you; a feeling she hadn't had in years. He allowed her to cry on his shoulder for a minute or two and broke the embrace.

"We have to move on," he said.

Kaya nodded and gripped her knapsack once more.

And then they wandered through the forest, not knowing where it would take them, but not concerned at all at the current time.


	5. Chapter 5: Tag

**Chapter Five: Tag**

It was a while before they finally found their way out of the forest and into a new part of the region. It was about five days since they had left Kaihen when they stepped past the very last oak from the wood and into a vast and clear valley. The wind swept over the luscious green grass and created small emerald waves. The cool breeze was refreshing after being in the stuffy, tree-inhabited woodland. Kaya looked out beyond the bright, lush knolls and spotted some mountains in the far distance. They were barely the size of her thumb from where they were standing, so they would be crossing the meadow for a day or two. But from the gorgeous scenery they were already looking upon, they had no problem with that at all.

The afternoon was just starting to dawn when they decided to make camp at the foot of one of the larger hills. It bothered them to be in such a vast and apparent place in case they might be caught, but after a few hours of no visitors but themselves, they concluded that the next town must be far from where they were. They didn't know for sure, but it was comforting to have a thought of security at mind.

When the sun was starting to take cover behind the mountain tips, Zuko could've been found sitting underneath a small tree, bowing his head down and relaxing. Small footsteps were growing closer to him. He turned his head and saw Kaya walking towards him with her hands behind her back and her eyes looking to the sky. He pretended to pay no attention and looked down at the ground again. A few seconds later, and she was sitting on the opposite spot behind the tree, admiring the meadow in awe.

"Beautiful, isn't it?" she said.

He grunted in reply. She ignored the small response and started to pick blades of grass from the ground beneath her.

"So, tell me about your mother," she said.

He was taken aback for a moment. "Why should I?" he asked stubbornly.

She leaned her head back against the trunk of the tree. "I told you about mine. Only fair that you do the same."

He didn't say anything. They were both silent for a few minutes, almost until Kaya was on the brink of leaving.

"My mother always looked out for me," he said suddenly. Kaya smiled and listened with her eyes closed. "She was the only one in my family besides Uncle who would. Everyone else kept their attention on Azula. 'A true child prodigy,' my father would always say. But my mother spent most of her time with me. She disappeared one night. But before she did, she woke me up and said to me, 'Everything I've done, I've done to protect you. Remember this, Zuko. No matter how things may change, never forget who you are.'" He closed his eyes. "I'll never forget those words."

When he was done, Kaya was frowning sadly. "I'm sorry to hear that, Zuko. It must be painful not knowing what happened to her."

He didn't answer. He was still grasping the idea that he had once more opened up to her in a way he never thought he would do. Why was he doing this anyway? Nothing too special about this girl. . . At least, he would try and keep telling himself that.

Kaya got up after a few moments of silence and more picked blades, and leaned against the tree while standing and folding her arms. She thought for a minute and said, "I feel like playing tag."

Zuko turned around and looked at her in confusion. "What?"

She giggled a bit. "I know it sounds childish, but it seems like it's been decades since I've played a game like tag."

Zuko frowned. "What's the point of playing a kids' game?"

She opened her eyes and looked to the sky. "Not everything needs a point. Just doing what you want is a great way of expressing spirit and freedom." She looked down at him. "Even if it means playing a game of tag."

He looked at her blankly, and showed no sign of getting up. Kaya rolled her eyes while smiling and tapped him quickly on the shoulder. "You're it," she said with a grin.

He grimaced. "I am not going to play tag."

Kaya stood in front of him. "Don't tell me that you're afraid you won't be able to catch big, bad Kaya," she taunted in a babying tone.

Zuko gritted his teeth. "Stop that."

"Not until you tag me," she said.

They were still for a minute or two, but Zuko finally made a grab at her. Unfortunately he missed, and she dodged his hand by backing away.

"Aw, come on," she said. "You can do better than that."

He sat up a bit and tried to touch her again, but she stepped to the side and nearly missed his hand.

"You can firebend better than my father," she said, dodging another attempt, "but you can't catch me?"

Fed up with her teasing, he stood up and started to chase her. She started to laugh as her feet took her across the grassy meadow, still avoiding Zuko's efforts to tag her. Becoming a bit aggravated, he sped up his pace and tried to grab her by the shoulder, but she jumped back before he could come an inch closer. She made a go up a moderately sized hill. It was hard trying to run and climb up it at the same time, but she finally managed to get to the top before Zuko could get her. She waited for him while catching her breath. She didn't have much time, for Zuko was only a few seconds behind her. She made a run down the hill, but he managed to grab onto her right shoulder before she could go too far. Unfortunately, this gave her too much of a push, and she tripped sending them tumbling down the hill. It wasn't too long a roll. They were at the foot of the knoll within a few seconds. They were, thankfully, uninjured. But as for their landing position. . . That was a far more awkward arrangement.

Zuko was above, but not quite on top of, Kaya. His hands and feet were planted to the ground caging her in while she lied in the grass. Both their eyes widened as they realized their predicament. But both pairs of amber eyes were staring in the person opposite them. They never really found out how long they stared at each other or how long it took them to realize what was going on. Zuko was the first to get up though. He blinked a few times, grasping the idea of what was happening, and got up clearing his throat. He offered her a hand and she took it, getting off the ground and laughing nervously. They didn't say anything for a long time. At last, Kaya looked out at the horizon and saw the last of the sun sinking from sight.

"We should go back to the campsite," she suggested.

He nodded and they walked back to the camp without saying a word to each other. Iroh was peeling some apples when they came back.

"Finally, you two have come back," he said with a kind smile. "What were you up to?"

Kaya smiled while looking at the ground. "Just a quick game of tag."


	6. Chapter 6: Ling's Granddaughter

**Chapter Six: Ling's Granddaughter**

"Aang, it's your turn to gather the firewood," Katara said.

Aang opened his resting eyes and looked up at his waterbending companion. "I thought it was Toph's turn."

The blind girl turned in Aang's direction. "I did it yesterday," Toph said.

Sokka unfurled his sleeping tent and slipped into it while saying, "Just go get it, Aang. It's past sundown."

Aang grumbled a bit and hopped off of Appa's saddle. He pat Momo on the head and wandered into the thicker end of the wood. He was still tired from traveling all day. And he could've sworn that it was Toph's turn to get the firewood. Nonetheless, he didn't like to pick fights. Especially not before bedtime. That's when his friends got cranky. Even Katara would start arguing if she didn't get some rest. He stumbled past a few thorn bushes and narrowed his eyes trying to find the firewood.

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"Kaya," Iroh said to her as she got up to find some wood, "be careful while you're out there."

It was the day after they had passed through the valley and they had stumbled upon yet another forest. This one was a bit thinner than the one they traveled through before though. Nonetheless, they decided to travel along the edge of the wood to catch the last of the meadow before they moved on.

Kaya nodded and pushed past some drooping pine branches as she walked into the wood. She looked around for some loose bark but all she could find was an abandoned bee's hive. She walked deeper still and found some branches and large chunks of bark. She picked them up quickly, a bit nervous about what might be lurking behind the trees.

Her arms were almost full. She spotted one last branch, thick and short. She crouched near the bushes to pick it up. But as she tried to pull it up, something pulled it back behind the bushes. She looked down and saw another hand on the other hand of the branch. She jumped back and let out a small squeal. The hand withdrew and a little bald head popped out above the bushes. A small boy with a blue arrow on his head and big, light brown eyes looked up to see what had happened. He observed her for a bit, as if trying to catch every detail from her long, ink black hair to her dark brown, rounded boots. His eyes widened.

"Ling?" he said in a stunned voice. "Is that you?"

Kaya stood up straight and shook her head. "No, my name is Kaya."

"Oh," the boy said, a bit disappointed. He climbed over the bushes and continued talking. "Sorry, it's just that you look a lot like an old friend of mine, Ling."

Kaya then realized a quick fact. "My grandmother's name was Ling."

The boy's eyes lit up again. "Really? Was she from the Fire Nation?"

"Yes," Kaya said. "How'd you know?"

"And she had a mother named Teia, right?"

Kaya nodded. "My great-grandmother; that's right. But how do you know all this?"

"I'm the Avatar," he said. "I lived over a hundred years ago. I was friends with your grandmother."

"Wow, the Avatar was friends with Grammy?" Kaya said in soft awe. "That's amazing! What's your name?"

They shook hands. "I'm Aang. Pleased to meet Ling's granddaughter."

"Likewise," she said. "You gave me quite a scare there."

Aang gave a nervous smile. "Yeah, sorry about that. I was looking for firewood. My friends and I are camped not too far from here. Wanna meet them?"

Kaya thought on it for a bit. "Okay," she finally said. "But not for too long. I have some friends waiting for me too."

Aang nodded enthusiastically and grabbed her wrist, leading her to the campsite at a fast pace. They finally came to a small clearing. There were two girls sitting and leaning against a large sky bison that was yawing lazily. A boy looking like he was around his teen years was sitting on top of his sleeping bag and sharpening his boomerang while a winged lemur was sitting on his shoulder and picking through his hair for bugs.

Aang ran into the middle of the clearing and finally let go of Kaya. "Hey, guys, meet Kaya!"

They all looked up except for the younger girl with black hair and blank eyes like glass, who simply put her feet on the ground.

"She's the granddaughter of one of my old friends," he continued.

The older girl wearing blue attire, dark skin and hair was the first to get up and walk up to Kaya. "I'm Katara," she said shaking her hand. "Nice to meet you." She turned to the rest of the group and pointed to the boy on his sleeping bag. "That's my older brother, Sokka." Sokka waved half-heartedly. She pointed to the girl with the black hair. "That's Toph. She's blind, but she sees with her earthbending, so don't underestimate her." Toph moved her right foot until she found Kaya and waved to her direction. Katara lastly pointed to the two animals. "And that's Appa and Momo."

Kaya smiled. "Nice to meet all of you." Her expression mellowed. "But I really should get going," she said. "My friends are waiting for me."

"Maybe you could introduce us," Aang suggested.

Kaya stepped back. "I don't think that's such a good idea."

"Okay," Aang said. "Then just bring me. I'm always eager to make some new friends."

"Aang, trust me," Kaya said. "I think you should just let it be."

What would happen if they found out about Zuko and Iroh? What if they turned them in? Kaya didn't want to take the risk.

Aang looked a bit sad, but nodded. "Can you at least tell us who they are?"

Kaya scratched the back of her head nervously. "I'm sure you've hear of them, but I'm not so sure you'd like to be friends with them."

"Kaya, we've been almost everywhere at this point," Sokka said, still working on his boomerang. "There are few people we don't know nowadays."

"Do fugitives count?" Kaya said under her breath.

"What was that?" Toph asked. "I thought you said something about fugitives."

Katara looked at her with concern and skepticism. "You're traveling with fugitives?"

Kaya put out her hands in a calming gesture. "Look, it's not what it sounds like. They've been really nice to me, and I trust them."

Aang looked at her suspiciously. "How many are there?"

"Just two," she said.

The Avatar's eyes lit up, but not with happiness as before. This time with an idea at mind. "Is it an old man and his nephew?"

Kaya hesitated, but at last nodded her head guiltily. Katara gasped.

"You're traveling with Zuko and Iroh?" she said.

Kaya didn't answer, but scuffed her left boot against the dirt.

"Kaya, those two are after Aang," Katara went on. "Zuko's tried attacking him several times."

Kaya's eyes widened. She had never known that they were out to capture the Avatar. She had only known that they were part of the Royal Family. "H-he wouldn't," she said.

Sokka laughed a little. "Are you kidding? Do you know how many times he's tried tracking us down?"

Kaya took a step back again. "No, I know him better than that."

Katara looked at Kaya sympathetically. "I'm sorry, but it's the truth."

Kaya couldn't believe it. She looked at Aang who wasn't about to say anything. Instead, she took her wrist again and led her to a spot away from the others near a cluster of large shrubs.

"I need to talk to her alone," he said to the others. Crouching low behind the bush, he lowered his voice. "Do you know who the Blue Spirit is?"

Boy, did she ever. She nodded.

"Do you know who he really is?" he asked.

"Yes, he's Zuko," she said. "He helped me and made sure I wasn't arrested and brought to the Fire Nation."

"He's tried to capture me before, but Zuko has also saved my life before as the Blue Spirit," he continued. "I know how you feel. Like you know he can do better."

Kaya bit her lip, but nodded once more.

"Can you do me a favor?" Aang asked.

"What is it?"

Aang looked her in the eyes seriously. "I want you to go back and try to help him out. I know he has a lot on his mind a lot of the time. Try to figure out what's troubling him and solve the problem."

"I think I already know," Kaya said thoughtfully.

"You think you can do it?" Aang asked.

Kaya felt her optimism rise again. "I know I can. Thanks, Aang."

Aang gave a toothy smile and Kaya hugged him before they walked back to the others.

"I'm going back," Kaya announced. "It was very nice meeting you, but I have some unfinished business to do." She directed a wink in Aang's direction.

"You're not going to tell them where we are, are you?" Sokka asked.

Kaya shook her head. "I promise I won't. Cross my heart."

He looked at her doubtfully, but eventually went back to sharpening his boomerang. She bid them all good-bye and gathered up her firewood. By the time she got back, the two fugitives were getting ready to go to sleep.

"What took you so long?" Zuko asked.

She looked at him, but didn't answer. She simply smiled and prepared the fire. She would keep her promise a secret.


	7. Chapter 7: Lightning

**Chapter Seven: Lightning**

Zuko was woken up very early the next morning. Kaya shook him awake, but after seeing that the sun hadn't even risen yet, he moaned and tried to go back to sleep. But Kaya refused to let him be.

"Come on, Zuko!" she said, nudging him again. "You're going to miss it if you don't wake up now."

"Miss what?" he grumbled.

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Kaya, pulling Zuko by his elbow, led him to a tall hilltop on the very edge of the valley. They sat down and looked out at the horizon opposite the mountains.

"Kaya, why did you drag me up here?" he asked impatiently.

"You'll see," she said.

At last, after about five more minutes, the sun began to peak over the trees far off past the valley. Its soft, orange glow began to spread across the sky, turning it from its deep blue to a wonderful shade of citrus. They watched it climb higher and they soon had to shade their eyes. But as they did, they looked down at the valley which was being affected by the morning sun as well. The grass began to shine and sparkle from the fresh, wet due that had sprinkled the blades neatly. As the sunrays hit the grass more brightly, the emerald surface looked polished and elegant, as if made of glass. The two said nothing for a long time, only wanting to watch the sun take its place in the sky. And when at last, it finally did, they barely had anything to say.

Kaya hugged her knees with her right arm and let her left hand drift over the small dew drops on the luscious blades of grass. "I love watching the sun rise. The feeling of watching the day begin always gives hope for the new hours ahead."

Zuko nodded. But he still had a question on his mind. "Why did you bring me up here?"

She sighed. "Zuko, sometimes you just need to enjoy the little things in life. You, out of all people, need to know this the most."

He frowned. "What gave you that idea?"

"You've been through a whole lot what with your parents and your sister. . . Sometimes, you just need to block off everything troublesome in your mind."

Zuko stood up. "Nothing troubles me," he said firmly. "I'm going back to the campsite."

He left before she could even open her mouth. She sulked sadly as she watched him walk down the hill. He was very stubborn. But she had to keep her promise. She waited him to vanish from her sight until she finally got up and followed his path.

-------------------------------------------

By the time she came back, Zuko was not there. Iroh was awake though, fixing a pot of tea. She took a spare cup and poured herself some.

"Where is Zuko?" she asked, sipping the jasmine tea.

"He went to go find some water," he responded.

At first, Kaya was afraid that Zuko would find Aang and the others. But then she figured that they should've left after knowing that Zuko was only a few minutes away from them. She finished the rest of her tea.

"Kaya, are you able to conjure up lightning?" Iroh asked as she put down her cup.

"Yes," she said. "But I prefer using fire."

Iroh nodded. "I understand. Can you demonstrate to me what you can do?"

Kaya stood up and closed her eyes. She breathed in and remembered all the things putting pressure on her. Keeping Aang's promise, becoming a fugitive, the things she had learned about Zuko. She breathed out and removed all those pressures from her mind. Then, she moved her arms in a slow and flowing motion. Sparks poured from her fingers and around her arms. She jabbed her right hand out swiftly and guided a path of blue and bright lightning from her index and middle fingers. She turned to Iroh who nodded slowly, seeming satisfied.

"Good, good," he said. "Now I would like you to teach Zuko."

Kaya was surprised. "Why me?"

"I have already tried many times," Iroh said, his eyes closed, "but he cannot let go of his problems like I keep telling him." He looked up. "You on the other hand. . ." He took a moment to look at her with an all-knowing grin on his kind face. "He has opened up to you faster than anyone he's ever met."

"How do you know that?" she asked.

He chuckled. "I may be growing old, but that doesn't mean I'm going deaf."

Kaya thought about it. Teaching Zuko to bend lightning may help him out. It would also be a good opportunity to learn more about him. She bowed her head. "I will try my best to teach him."

Iroh bowed his head as well. "Thank you, Kaya."

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"Why does Uncle want you to teach me?"

Kaya shook her head. "It's a long story. Do you want to learn or not?"

He looked ready to object, but thought against it and sighed. "Fine. You can teach me."

Kaya smiled in approval. "Okay, then. Firstly, I need to see how you attempt to bend lightning."

He nodded, closed his eyes, and breathed in and out. He waved his arms around as smoothly as Kaya had. His intentions were high, but when he shot his hand out, an explosion of fire erupted from his fingertips and he collapsed onto his back. Kaya ran to him and helped him get up.

"See? I was right," she pointed out as he stood back up. "You do have a lot on your mind."

"I do not!" he exclaimed.

She shook her head. "I rest my case."

He gritted his teeth. "And what do you propose we do about this problem?"

"I propose that you stop thinking of everything that has ever troubled you," she said. "Breathe in and think about every single thing that has ever burdened you. And when you breathe out, forget it all. Let it all go and concentrate on your bending."

He stared at her for a second, as if she was crazy for having such a proposition. But he obeyed and breathed in. Everything rushed to his mind. His father, his mother, Azula, the Avatar. He breathed out and tried to think only of the lightning he was to summon. He waved his arms around again and released his energy. But just as he did, a quick thought came to mind. Azula. She was still after him.

Once more, fire exploded and he fell back.

He pounded his fist against the ground. "It's the same thing every time!" he shouted.

Kaya crouched down next to him and put her hand on his back. "Zuko, is there anything that would make you happy right now?"

"No," he said immediately. "Why do you ask?"

"Sometimes happiness and bliss is all that is needed to calm the mind and be rid of the rest of our emotions."

"The only thing that would do that would be to have my honor again." As he uttered the word "honor", he hung his head and gripped the dirt ground below him with white knuckles.

She gave him a hand and helped him up.

"I know you can do this, Zuko," she said to him, looking straight into his eyes. "You are a great person, and you don't need honor to prove that. Keep trying at it and you'll get it sooner than you think."

"Why are you doing this for me?" he asked. "My father is the Fire Lord and you're against the whole Fire Nation itself. It seems you would be one of the last people helping me."

"Because I don't judge by heritage or beliefs. I judge by what I know of that person. And I know enough to want to help you. I don't care if you're the heir to the throne. I don't care if you don't mind the war. What I care about is what you've been through and what you're like underneath the rumors spread about you."

He took in her words slowly and his lips curled into a small smile. "Thanks, Kaya."

"You want to try again?" she asked, returning the smile.

"Unless if you have the key to earning my throne with you, I don't think there's much that'll calm my mind."

But Kaya had another idea. She didn't want to know if she was doing it because she wanted to. She didn't even take much time to even consider it. The fact was that after seeing the sadness in his ember tinted eyes, she leaned in closer and gave him a small kiss on the lips. It didn't last that long. But even so, after she broke it, they were both blushing intensely. She looked into his eyes one more time, cleared her throat, backed away, and gave him a small hand gesture indicating for him to try again. It took him a while to figure it out, seeing as he was still shocked by what she had done. But after a few awkward moments of silence, he found nothing better to do.

He repeated the exercises. But when he breathed out this time, all that came to his mind was the feeling of Kaya's lips against his. This filled him with an indescribable sensation and gave him the energy to concentrate harder. He moved his arms around again.

This time, sparks were conducting from his fingers. He smiled widely and continued. And when he shot his hand out towards the sky, a dazzling, azure bolt of lightning was sent forth and went out with a large thunder clap. His smile grew and his heart thumped excitedly.

Kaya applauded eagerly. "Zuko, you did it!" She ran up to him and embraced him. "I knew you could do it!"

But as soon as she wrapped her arms around him, she suddenly remembered what she had done earlier. They both backed away, their faces returning to a soft, scarlet shade. She cleared her throat again.

"Let's try it a few more times," she said, not looking up at him.

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They practiced throughout the afternoon. Zuko improved his hand motions and Kaya promised herself not to do something so stupid again. If she had too much on her mind, she would have difficulty trying to travel with them. She didn't want to make it awkward for them to be around each other. But she couldn't help but think about the pleasant feeling that had shivered up her spine when she kissed him as they walked back to their campsite around the dawn of noon. She shook her head, pushing the thought from her mind. But no matter how many times she had tried to avoid it, the stronger the idea became. After all, she had never taken much consideration into it. What if she loved Zuko? The very concept made her turn red. That can't be possible, she told herself. Like he said, I'm against the war and he's okay with it. It would never work out. . . Yes, that's what she what keep at mind. For now at least.

When they got back, Iroh was cutting a mango into slices and placing them on washed slabs of stone for plates. They ate quietly, not wanting discuss much. Iroh didn't even ask if Zuko had learned to bend lightning.

He might be growing old, but that didn't mean he couldn't tell the short term look on Kaya's face every time she looked at Zuko.


	8. Chapter 8: Running Again

**Chapter Eight: Running Again**

The three fugitives walked down the dirt path quietly. Another day, another road to travel. This time they were entering the small mountain pass. It only seemed to last about ten miles, so they would be among the towering mountains for about a week or so. It was the day after Zuko's first lightning lesson with Kaya, and she still had a lot on her mind. She hardly even noticed when Zuko was talking to her.

"Kaya, are you okay?" he asked.

She blinked and dived back into reality immediately. She looked at Zuko. "Oh, yeah, I'm fine. Why?"

"You were just spaced out is all," he said.

That didn't seem to surprise her. She was still questioning herself repeatedly about her feelings for Zuko. It seemed so overly-dramatic in her view. But what else was there to think about? She had squat ideas for her next step in the world besides trying to avoid Fire Nation soldiers, and every time she thought of keeping Aang's favor, more arguments about Zuko would rush through her mind. It was an unavoidable subject, no matter how hard she tried.

"I forgot to ask you," Zuko began, "what did you forget to bring when we were leaving Kaihen?"

She looked down at sadly and sighed. "It was my music box. My mother gave it to me when I turned five." She paused and said finally, "I promised to her that I would keep it safe and in tact." She fought back tears. "Guess that's a promise I wasn't able to keep."

Zuko's eyes softened. "I'm sorry you couldn't save it."

She looked up and forced a smile. "Don't be. It's not like you're the one who burned the house."

"Yeah, but I feel like I could've done something," he said thoughtfully.

Kaya shook her head. "Just forget about it. I'll be fine."

Zuko watched her fold her arms and stare at the ground beneath her as she walked. She had been acting strangely ever since the day before. And why wouldn't she? That was quite an unexpected stunt she pulled during bending lessons. He still couldn't believe that their lips actually touched. He touched his gently with his fingers, as if trying to remember what it felt like. He shook himself awake. No. He shouldn't be worrying about silly things like that. It just wasn't like himself. But then again, lately he had been wondering who he really was in the world. He had saved someone who had resented his father's decisions. He was taking bending lessons from someone he had only met a few days ago. He told a girl he might have never known in the first place about his usually-secret past. But on the other hand, she offered them a place to stay, offered him bending lessons, and understood his pain in a way. So there were reasons to his actions. Maybe it wasn't a matter of his inner identity. Maybe it was a matter of his heart.

He gritted his teeth. That sounded so corny. She was an acquaintance; nothing more and nothing less.

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The ground under their feet soon became rocky and scattered with gravel. As they walked, the rocks scratched and scuffed their shoes. No way would they be able to get a good night's sleep while lying on this kind of surface. Luckily, after they had walked far enough, they found a cave etched into the bottom side of a mountain a little bit after sunset. There they would stay for the night.

As the sparks of the fire lit up the walls of the cave, Zuko looked at Kaya who was playing with her hair while humming a tune to herself softly. She always seems so carefree, thought Zuko as he watched her. He stared at her for the longest time, and was only brought awake by the sound of her voice.

"Zuko, what are you looking at?" she asked, her attention now focused on him.

He blinked and shook his head quickly. "Sorry," he said looking back at the fire.

Kaya shrugged it off and got up. "I'll be outside," she said.

Probably to do more firebending like the last time she excused herself, he thought, reflecting upon the memory.

"What's on your mind, Zuko?" Iroh asked when Kaya left. "It's seems you're a bit distracted nowadays."

Zuko frowned. "I'm fine, Uncle."

"Are you sure?" he asked. "You know you can tell me anything."

"No," Zuko said under his breath. "I don't think I can." He got up. "I'm going to see what she's doing. I'm curious to see whether she's firebending or not."

As he walked out, Iroh called after him, "Curiosity killed the mouse cat."

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But she wasn't firebending. She was doing her favourite nighttime hobby: stargazing. This was the second time he had caught her doing so. But this time she was in a deeper trance, her eyes transfixed on the stars above her. She hardly heard his footsteps, but whipped around when he heard him speak.

"Hey," he said softly.

She smiled. "Hey." She pulled in her legs and watched as he sat down next to her. "What's up?"

He didn't answer right away. He instead looked up, as if trying to understand what the big deal was. "You do this a lot, don't you?" he asked.

"Mmhmm," she mumbled, staring up as well.

"Why, though?" he asked.

She shrugged. "Why not? It's not like it's a crime. I can do whatever I want, right?"

"I guess," he said hesitantly.

"Well, I might as well spend it looking at something beautiful," she finished with satisfaction.

He nodded in agreement.

They exchanged the longest barrier of silence ever received from each other. It took about five minutes for one of them to say something. And even if she said it, she wasn't pleased with what slipped out of her mouth afterwards.

"I know about your search for the Avatar," she said with a gulp.

His eyes widened and his head snapped in her direction. "You do?"

She nodded. "But why?"

He didn't respond.

"It has something to do with the honor you keep saying that you want to regain, huh?"

He hung back the word, but it pushed its way past his lips. "Yes."

Kaya threw her fist against the ground and stood up with her arms folded. "I don't believe this," she groaned.

"Don't believe what?" Zuko asked, getting up as well.

She turned her back to him. "You're his son, Zuko. You shouldn't have to think that you need to earn that position."

Zuko frowned. "But apparently, that's what I have to do. And I intend to accomplish what I want."

Kaya gritted her teeth before answering. "He isn't much of a father if he's disowned you and banished you from your own country."

"Mind your own business!" he yelled.

Yelled. He had yelled at her; something he had never done before. And it scared her. She gripped the sleeves of her shirt tighter.

"Leave Aang alone!" she shouted back, still not looking at him.

"Aang? You've met him?"

"It doesn't matter. What matters is what you're doing to yourself."

"And what's that?" He yelled again.

She started to fight back the tears and felt her nails making small tears into her sleeves. "You're letting someone who has insulted you since you were younger take advantage of you as means of war."

"Don't give me your 'Fire Nation rebellion' trash! I will find the Avatar and I will earn my throne back!"

She finally turned around and released her fingers from her elbows. "Listen to you! You sound like a monster! Stop being so stubborn!"

Tears burst from her eyes. She didn't like arguing with him. But she stood her ground and waited for his comeback.

He wasn't the only one who wasn't exactly enjoying their spat. As he saw the tears start to stream down her cheeks, he felt himself start to lose his voice.

"Why do you care so much anyway?" he managed to bellow.

They gaped at each other for a few seconds before she started to run again. She ran away from the cave, her shoes kicking back rocks and her eyes sending a trail of tears behind her. She didn't care where she was going. She didn't care why. She just didn't want to see his face again. She heard his footsteps behind her and his shouts carrying after her. But she only ran faster until she was moving towards the wood again. She felt the bark of the trees scrape her arms and tear through her sleeves. But she kept going. It wasn't till a few minutes later when she finally tripped on an overgrown root from a large elm tree. His footsteps grew closer and she scrambled up to her feet. She hid behind the elm and clutched the cut on her right arm, feeling the blood trickle through her fingers.

Zuko heard her heavy breathing and moved towards the tree she was behind slowly. She at last came into view, but not in the best condition. He looked at her wound and his eyes softened. He crouched down and approached his hand towards her arm.

"Don't touch me," she said in a raspy exhale.

He flinched. "I just want to-"

"Why do you care so much anyway?" she cried. She got up again and limped away, her hand wiping away more blood.

He watched her walk away pitifully. He wanted to help her, but she wouldn't let him. He scoffed to himself. Why did that sound familiar?

He got up to his feet and walked back to the mountains.

-----------------------------

"Good, you're back," Iroh said, when Zuko returned to the cave.

The fire was starting to weaken and Iroh was barely awake. But he was a bit surprised when he saw that only Zuko came back.

"I heard you and Kaya yelling," he continued as Zuko leaned against the wall of the cave. "Is everything okay?"

"Kaya's not coming back," Zuko said instantly.

Iroh sat up. "What happened?"

Zuko sighed. "She got mad at me and ran away. When I tried to help her, she just got even angrier and wouldn't even let me look at the cut on her arm."

Iroh's eyes widened. "She got hurt? Zuko, you must go after her."

"Why should I?" he grunted.

"Well, you're letting someone who loves you get into a load of danger."

"She doesn't love me!" Zuko shouted.

Iroh chuckled. "Sure she doesn't, sure she doesn't. And I supposed you do not love her either?"

"No! As a matter of fact, I don't."

"Still, the fact is that she could get killed out there. Especially if she's injured. If you don't go get her now, you'll have the life of a young girl on your conscience."

Iroh lied back down while Zuko looked at him with a world of consideration on his mind.

He had just had an argument with someone who had questioned his decision of earning his honor. But she did make reasonable points within their quarrel. And like Uncle said, he couldn't just let her wander off like that. She might get hurt even more. With this being thought over a hundred times over, he made his choice and left Iroh and the cave to look for Kaya.


End file.
